Active roll stabilisation system for ships

ABSTRACT

An active roll stabilisation system for ships is described. The system comprises a rotatable stabilisation element extending below the ship&#39;s water line on a side of the ship, sensor means for sensing the ship&#39;s movements and delivering control signals on the basis thereof to driving means for rotatably driving the stabilisation element for the purpose of damping the ship&#39;s movements that are being sensed, as well as moving means for moving the stabilisation element with respect to the ship. The rotatable stabilisation element can only rotate in one direction.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Dutch Patent Application No. 1037151 filed on Jul. 24, 2009, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to active roll stabilisation systems for ships. In particular, it relates to ships comprising at least one first rotatable stabilisation element extending below the ship's water line on a side of the ship, sensor means for sensing the ship's movements and delivering control signals on the basis thereof to driving means for rotatably driving the stabilisation element for the purpose of damping the ship's movements that are being sensed, as well as moving means for moving the stabilisation element with respect to the ship.

BACKGROUND

An active roll stabilisation system for ships is known, for example from Dutch patent No. 1023921. In said patent it is proposed to rotate a stabilisation element that projects into the water from the ship's hull below the waterline about its longitudinal axis so as to compensate for the rolling motions that the ship undergoes while the ship is at anchor. To that end, the ship is fitted with sensor means, for example angle sensors, speed sensors and acceleration sensors, by means of which the angle, the rate of roll or the roll acceleration are sensed. Control signals are generated on the basis of the data being obtained, which signals control the rotation of the rotatable stabilisation element as regards the direction of rotation and the speed of rotation as well as the moving of the damping stabilisation element with respect to the ship.

A correction force is generated under the influence of the rotary motion of the stabilisation element and the water flowing past as a result of the stabilisation element moving with respect to the stationary ship, which correction force is exerted in a direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation and the direction of movement. This physical phenomenon is also referred to as the Magnus effect, on the basis of which the correction force is used for opposing the ship's roll.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an active roll stabilisation system for ships is provided, comprising at least one first rotatable stabilisation element extending below the ship's water line on a side of the ship, sensor means for sensing the ship's movements and delivering control signals on the basis thereof to driving means for rotatably driving the stabilisation element for the purpose of damping the ship's movements that are being sensed, as well as moving means for moving the at least one stabilisation element with respect to the ship, wherein said at least one rotatable stabilisation element can only rotate in one direction.

When according to the present disclosure the stabilisation element is rotated in one direction only and used so that only one stabilisation element at a time is active, it will not be necessary to drive the stabilisation element alternately in both directions.

In a functional embodiment of the present disclosure, the roll stabilisation system comprises at least one assembly of a first and a further rotatable stabilisation element, which further stabilisation element can only rotate in one direction opposite the direction of rotation of the first stabilisation element.

According to another embodiment, the system is further characterised in that the moving means for each assembly alternately impart a pivoting movement with respect to the ship to the rotatable stabilisation elements while the ship is sailing. Thus the roll stabilisation system can be used actively also at higher speeds and in spite of the high mass inertia. Said alternating pivoting movement is imparted in the sailing direction.

According to another embodiment, the stabilisation element is connected to the ship by means of a universal joint, so that a pivoting or rotary movement of the stabilisation element with respect to the ship through the water is possible.

In a specific embodiment of this aspect of the present disclosure, the stabilisation element can be accommodated in a recess formed in the ship's hull, so that the stabilisation element can be returned to its position in the ship's hull, if desired, while the ship is sailing, so that the friction between the ship and the water will decrease considerably while sailing.

Optionally, the stabilisation element can be accommodated in a guide formed in or on the ship's hull, which guide preferably extends at least partially in the longitudinal direction of the ship.

According to another functional embodiment, stabilisation elements may be provided on each long side of the ship or only on one side, whilst in another embodiment two or more stabilisation elements are provided at the front side of the ship.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will now be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing, in which:

FIGS. 1-4 are views of prior art active roll stabilisation systems;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show various views of the movements of a ship fitted with a roll stabilisation system according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIGS. 1-4 implementations of active roll stabilisation systems according to the prior art are shown. The stationary ship 1 floating on a water surface 3 is fitted with an active roll stabilisation system indicated by reference numerals 10-11-20-10′-20′. This known active roll stabilisation system for ships as described in Dutch patent No. 1023921 is comprised of rotatable stabilisation elements 4 a and 4 b, respectively, which project from a respective long side of the ship's hull 2 below the water line.

The prior art active roll stabilisation system also comprises sensor means (not shown) for sensing the ship's movements, more in particular the ship's roll. On the basis of the sensing results, control signals are delivered to driving means (not shown, either), which rotatably drive either one of the stabilisation elements 4 a, 4 b (depending on the required correction). Said sensor means may consist of angle sensors, speed sensors or acceleration sensors, which continuously sense the angle of the ship relative to the horizontal water surface 3, the speed or the acceleration caused by the ship's rolling motions 6.

FIG. 1 shows an implementation of a known active roll stabilisation system comprising a set or rotatable stabilisation elements. The active roll stabilisation system comprises moving means which move the rotatable stabilisation element 4 with respect to the stationary ship. More particularly, FIG. 1 shows an implementation in which the moving means 10 impart a reciprocating translating movement between two extreme positions 4 _(a) and 4 _(b) to the rotatable stabilisation element 4, such that said movement comprises at least one component in the longitudinal direction of the ship. The longitudinal direction of the ship is indicated by the wide arrow X in FIG. 1.

In the translating implementation of the active roll stabilisation system shown in FIG. 1 (see also FIG. 2), translating movement or movement of the rotatable stabilisation element 4 is made possible in that a guide 11 is mounted in the hull 2 of the ship 1, along which guide the stabilisation element 4 can move. The rotatable stabilisation element 4 is to that end accommodated in the guide 11 with its one end 4″ via a universal joint 12, thus enabling translating movement in the guide 11 as well as rotary motion about the longitudinal axis 13.

Although this is schematically illustrated in the figure, the rotatable stabilisation element 4 is connected to the driving means 6 by means of a universal joint 12, which driving means rotatably drive the stabilisation element 4 for the purpose of damping the ship's movements being sensed. In this implementation the assembly of the driving means 6 and the universal joint 12 (which enables the stabilisation element 4 to rotate with respect to the driving means 6 and the ship 1) can translate along the guide 11, for example by means of a rack-and-pinion transmission mechanism (not shown).

However, other translating transmission mechanisms may also be used for this purpose.

The reciprocating translation of the rotatable stabilisation element 4 in the guide 11 between the extreme positions 4 _(a) and 4 _(b) in the longitudinal direction X of the stationary ship 1 combined with the rotation of the stabilisation element 4 results in a reactive force, also referred to as the Magnus force. Said force extends perpendicularly both to the direction of movement of the stabilisation element 4 in the X-direction and to the direction of rotation.

Depending on the direction of the ship's motion (the ship's roll) that is to be damped, the direction of rotation of the stabilisation element 4 must be selected such that the resulting Magnus force also opposes the rolling force F_(R) being exerted on the ship by the ship's rolling motion.

This is shown in FIG. 3, in which the translating, rotatable stabilisation elements 4 a-4 b are disposed below the waterline 3, near the centre of the ship (see FIG. 2B). The direction, the speed as well as the acceleration of the rolling motion can be sensed in a manner which is known per stabilisation element by means of suitable sensor means (angle sensor, speed sensor and acceleration sensor). On the basis of the sensing results, control signals are delivered to the respective driving means 6 and 10. On the basis of said signals, the driving means 6 will drive the stabilisation element 4 at a speed and in a direction that may or may not be varied, whilst also the operating means 10 will move the rotating stabilisation element 4 in the longitudinal direction X in the guide 10 at a certain speed.

FIG. 4 shows another implementation of a known active roll stabilisation system, in which the operating means (indicated at 20 in this figure) impart a reciprocating pivoting movement between two extreme positions 4 _(a) and 4 _(b) with respect to the stationary ship 1 to the stabilisation element 4. In order to ensure that the active roll stabilisation system will function correctly with stationary ships, the pivoting movement that is imparted to the rotatable stabilisation element 4 by the operating means 20 preferably comprises at least one motion component in the longitudinal direction X of the ship also in the implementation shown in FIG. 4.

Using the above arrangement and a suitable control and drive of the stabilisation element 4 in terms of speed and direction of rotation and speed and direction of pivoting, the Magnus effect will for example occur with a stationary ship that is at anchor, resulting in a Magnus force F_(m) comprising at least one force component directed towards or away from the water surface 3. Said upward or downward force component of the Magnus force F_(m) can be utilised very effectively for compensating the rolling motion of the stationary ship about its longitudinal axis X.

Currently known active roll stabilisation systems functioning on the basis of the Magnus effect can only be used with stationary ships. At present no roll stabilisation systems based on the Magnus effect suitable for used with high-speed ships are available yet. Additionally, a higher frictional resistance is experienced while sailing, which renders the known systems unsuitable.

FIG. 5 shows various views of a ship fitted with a roll stabilisation system according to the present disclosure during various stages of a ship's movement. The ship 10 is fitted with a set of stabilisation elements 40 a-40 b mounted in the ship's hull on either side of the ship. According to the present disclosure, each stabilisation element of the stabilisation elements 40 a-40 b can be rotatably driven in one direction only, so that the roll stabilisation system is in particular suitable for damping movements of ships sailing at high speed.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 5, one stabilisation element, or both stabilisation elements, are moved in and out in dependence on the sensed ship's movement, so that the rotating stabilisation element, as a result of its movement through the water, will generate a resulting Magnus force F_(m) comprising at least one force component directed towards or away from the water surface 3. Said upward or downward force component can be utilised effectively for compensating the rolling motion of the ship about its longitudinal axis X.

To render the active roll stabilisation system suitable in particular for ships sailing at high speed, the two stabilisation elements 40 a-40 b can only be driven in one direction. Thus it is not necessary, in particular as a result of the high mass inertia, to have the rotatable stabilisation element rotate in both directions, thereby obviating the need for constant deceleration and acceleration of the stabilisation elements.

The latter results in a simple construction, because a simpler and cheaper driving mechanism, but also for example a simpler and cheaper bearing system for the rotatable stabilisation element, for example in the ship's hull, can be used.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the active roll stabilisation system according to the present disclosure, in which a pivoting movement relative to the ship's hull is alternately imparted to each stabilisation element of each set of stabilisation elements for the purpose of effectively damping the ship's roll. The pivoting angle may vary from 0 to more than 90 degrees so as to thus realise an additional lifting force due to the Magnus effect. Said pivoting movement can be imparted in the sailing direction.

A more functional use of the stabilisation system according to the present disclosure comprises the installation of a set of stabilisation elements near the front side of the ship. Using one or more rotatable stabilisation elements at the front side, the vessel can also be steered on the front side. Usually, this is already effected at low speeds by the use of so-called bow thrusters, but when the ship is sailing at high speed such bow thrusters can no longer be functionally employed, because the force of the water flowing past neutralizes the force generated by the bow thruster.

Rotatable stabilisation elements mounted near the front side of the ship do not exhibit this drawback. At higher speeds, the force component enables the rotatable stabilisation elements to impart an additional steering component to the ship. Although such front-mounted rotatable stabilisation elements encounter more resistance at higher sailing speeds, this phenomenon can be minimized by positioning the rotatable stabilisation element at an adjustable angle relative to the sailing direction.

It is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to particular methods or systems, which can, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The term “plurality” includes two or more referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains.

A number of embodiments of the disclosure have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. 

1. An active roll stabilisation system for ships, comprising at least one first rotatable stabilisation element extending below the ship's water line on a side of the ship, sensor means for sensing the ship's movements and delivering control signals on the basis thereof to driving means for rotatably driving the stabilisation element for the purpose of damping the ship's movements that are being sensed, and moving means for moving the at least one stabilisation element with respect to the ship, wherein said at least one rotatable stabilisation element can only rotate in one direction.
 2. The active roll stabilisation system according to claim 1, further comprising a further rotatable stabilisation element assembled with the first rotatable stabilisation element, which further stabilisation element can only rotate in one direction opposite the direction of rotation of the first stabilisation element.
 3. The active roll stabilisation system according to claim 1, wherein the moving means for each assembly alternately impart a pivoting movement with respect to the ship to the at least one rotatable stabilisation element while the ship is sailing.
 4. The active roll stabilisation system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one stabilisation element is connected to the ship through a universal joint.
 5. The active roll stabilisation system according to claim 1, wherein the stabilisation element is accommodated in a guide formed in or on the ship's hull.
 6. The active roll stabilisation system according to claim 5, wherein said guide extends at least partially in the longitudinal direction of the ship.
 7. The active roll stabilisation system according to claim 5, wherein the at least one stabilisation element is accommodated in a recess formed in the ship's hull.
 8. The active roll stabilisation system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one stabilisation element is provided on each long side of the ship.
 9. The active roll stabilisation system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of stabilisation element is provided at the front side of the ship. 